Mini ERP using node-red

General
1

Is it possible to create a mini ERP with NR?
I'm planning to use 3 tablets to access node-red hosted on 1 pc.Each tablet is used as data entry for a single machine and requires a different login to access the dashboard. Mysql database is stored on the pc. The ERP functions as follows:
(1)A user can send recipe/work order from the pc to each machine.
(2)users can login from the tablet to see the work order for respective machine and key in details such as breakdowns, start time, finish time, output, scrap, etc
(3) All data is then stored on the mysql database which management can retrieve data from.
(4) Live update of each machine can also be seen such as daily output, scrap, OEE, breakdown records etc.

Appreciate inputs and feedback on this. Thanks :slight_smile:

2

You are talking about pc's, tablets and machines. Not sure what those 'machines' are?

But then again, I'm petty sure that

requires a different login to access the dashboard

is not possible at the moment, but maybe someone else thinks different ?

3

There is always uibuilder if you need to do something outside of what Dashboard can do. :slight_smile:

4

'machines' are referring to steel bending machines. Think of it as a regular machine producing parts but tracking of daily output and breakdowns are recorded on pen and paper. We're thinking of doing the recording from a tablet instead.

5

I'm not sure about a mini is but maybe a micro or a pico :slight_smile:.
For sure you will have a lot of work, specially regarding user management.
How do you plan to collect the data from the bending machines?

6

If you can forgo the login part, the rest is all doable. Does the operator really need a login?

7

@machadotiago, the machines will have an industrial cpu controlling the machine. The cpu houses all of the data he needs from field devices (sensors, encoders, limit switches, push buttons, etc) or locally calculated data in the cpu (PLC).

@crixster, I smell what you're stepping in and I tip my hat to you for rolling your own ERP system.
The thing you may want to consider is don't try to make your ERP exactly like a $50k+ ERP system. Make it work within the boundries of node-red.

A minimalist ERP system is very doable with node-red and a database. The toughest part is going to be the database design.

Off the top of my head, you will want some tables resembling these:
Machines (Equipment #, Location code, Description)
Departments (Location Code, Description)
Technicians (Badge ID, Location Code, First Name, Last Name)
Work Orders (Work Order ID, Equipment#, Work Order Desc, Reported By, Reported DateTime)

Instead of setting up logins for everyone, simply include a text box in your node-red work request to allow the user to enter their badge ID or name. (e.g, J.Doe, B1234, John D., etc)

With the tables above, you could display work orders based on who reported it, what machine, what location, what day/time.

Get the basics done first then add functionality as needed.

P.S. We need an Industrial category added to this forum.

3 Likes
8

+1 vote :+1:

3 Likes
9

Mini is an overstatement :sweat_smile:, Pico would be more suitable. At the moment all data is manual user entry from tablet. Eventually we'll move on to using modbus or mqtt. I've done the integration with PLCs before so it's doable

10

I was thinking about the login part just to separate access between tabs since i have only 1 ipc running node red. For the moment i can think of the following tabs
(1)dashboard tab to displays charts etc, no login
(2)work order tab to send order to shopfloor, engineer login only
(3)stock level tab to display stock availability, engineer login only
(4)machine 1 tab for data entry, supervisor 1+engineer login
(5)machine 2 tab for data entry, supervisor 2+engineer login
(6)machine x and etc. etc....

11

I'm afraid i smell it too. This could really get out of hand if i'm not careful since i'm still new to NR and unaware of the limitations. Thanks for the ideas especially on the login part

12

I second that :+1:

13

2-x - sounds like a job for uibuilder :slight_smile:

These would be really easy to do VueJS/bootstrap-vue which you get automatically with v2 & very easy to integrate the data back to Node-RED. Depending on how many users you need to manage, it should be pretty easy to engineer a forms-based login using just Node-RED and a file store on the back end (that could just be global variables with the file store).

Perfect for Node-RED as it will be doing all the detailed heavy lifting letting you prototype very easily. Perfect for uibuilder as it will let you easily build a series of forms and a menu and deal with the communications.

Sounds like fun.